More charges for former Montville teacher indicted for sexual assaults

Jason Fennes, 39, of Bloomfield, has been indicted on charges of aggravated sexualassault, sexualassault and endangering the welfare of a child as a result of allegations of abuse made by four former students.

The acts allegedly occurred during the defendant’s tenure as a first-grade teacher at the William Mason Elementary School in the Montville Public School District between 2005 and 2008.

The indictment was handed down on Aug. 20 for the first set of charges. A day later, on Thursday, Aug. 22, Fennes was indicted on more sexualassault charges.

An investigation into the first matter was launched in December of 2011 by Detective Edward Mitreuter of the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office and Detective Sgt. Christopher Keezer of the Montville Police Department. The defendant was initially arrested on March 5, 2012.

No further details about the charges were provided. The defendant was indicted on three counts of first-degree aggravated sexual assault; eight counts of second-degree sexual assault; and four counts of second-degree endangering the welfare of a child.

Fennes was indicted Thursday on a second set of charges alleging aggravated sexual assault, sexual assault and endangering the welfare of a child.

The charges were the result of allegations of abuse made by a former student with whom Fennes allegedly engaged in a sexual relationship when the victim was between the ages of 14 and 16. The acts allegedly began in 1997, when defendant was the victim’s assistant track coach at Butler High School and continued after he resigned from that position. The charges are based upon alleged sexual acts that occurred both while the defendant was in a supervisory position over the victim, as well as when she was under the age of consent. The acts in question occurred in Parsippany.

An investigation into this second matter was launched in March of 2012 by Detective Sgt. Christopher Keezer of the Montville Police Department.

Keezer was assisted by Detective Anne Marie Truppo of the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office. The defendant was arrested on May 30, 2012.

The Honorable Mary Gibbons Whipple, J.S.C., continued bail at $225,000.00 with no 10 percent option. The defendant remains in the Morris County Correctional Facility.